Mushroom packing apparatus

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a mushroom packing apparatus comprising a grading conveyor and a plurality of locations distributed under a longitudinal axis of the grading conveyor, each location being provided, in use, with a container for collecting the mushrooms as they are deposited from the grading conveyor. The apparatus is arranged to weigh the respective container at each location and to facilitate removal of the loaded container once the loaded container has reached a predetermined weight, the apparatus being further adapted to replace each loaded container with an empty container once the respective loaded container has reached a predetermined weight.

[0001] Although the apparatus of the present invention is primarilyintended for use in the grading and packing of mushrooms, it will ofcourse be understood from the following description that said apparatuswould equally be suited for use with similar delicate items whichconventionally require grading and packing.

[0002] It is a well established practice in the trade of mushroomgrowing to provide custom built growing houses in which the mushroomsmay be grown in a carefully maintained environment. Each growing houseconventionally contains rows of growing beds containing compost, onwhich the mushrooms are grown. The rows of growing beds are separated bypassages running therebetween. Therefore, when harvesting the mushrooms,pickers travel along the passages between said rows, picking themushrooms and depositing them in a basket or similar container forsubsequent sorting and packing.

[0003] It is also known in the art to provide a custom built trolleyhaving a conveyor on which the picked mushrooms are deposited, thetrolley further including a number of containers into which themushrooms are deposited from the conveyor. The conveyor is arranged tograde the mushrooms by size, such that each container includes onlymushrooms within a given size range. Once one of the containers has beenfilled with mushrooms, the picker must cease picking, remove thecontainer from the trolley, and deposit the container in a suitablelocation for further processing, for example, weighing to determine ifthe correct market weight of mushrooms has been loaded into thecontainer. If said weight has not been achieved, or indeed if it hasbeen surpassed, the contents of the container must be suitably adjusted.

[0004] Having removed the filled container from the trolley, the pickermust then get an empty container and position it on the trolley in placeof the filled container which has been removed. Once this has beeneffected, the picker may resume picking mushrooms from the bed. It willtherefore be appreciated that the picker must also continually observethe containers in the trolley, while simultaneously trying to pickmushrooms, in order to ensure that none of the containers overflow.

[0005] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide amushroom packing apparatus which is capable of weighing each of theplurality of containers of mushrooms as the respective container isbeing filled, and to facilitate the automatic removal of the containerto permit an empty container to be located in place of the filledcontainer.

[0006] It is a further object of the present invention to provide amushroom packing apparatus which automatically replaces a filledcontainer with an empty container.

[0007] The present invention therefore provides a mushroom packingapparatus comprising a grading conveyor; a plurality of locationsdistributed under a longitudinal axis of the grading conveyor, eachlocation being provided, in use, with a container for collecting themushrooms as they are deposited from the grading conveyor; characterisedin that the apparatus is arranged to weigh the respective container ateach location and to facilitate removal of the loaded container once theloaded container has reached a predetermined weight.

[0008] Preferably, each location includes a weighing pan on which, inuse, the respective container is seated.

[0009] Preferably, the apparatus replaces each loaded container with anempty container once the respective loaded container has reached apredetermined weight.

[0010] Preferably, each location comprises a transporter in operativeassociation, in use, with the respective container, the transporterbeing arranged to transfer the container, when loaded, from beneath thegrading conveyor and to locate an empty container beneath the gradingconveyor.

[0011] Preferably, each weighing pan is shaped and dimensioned tosupport an empty container adjacent the, in use, container being loaded,the transporter operable to reversibly displace the weighing pan suchthat the loaded container is transferred from beneath the gradingconveyor, while the empty container is simultaneously transferredbeneath the grading conveyor.

[0012] Preferably, each location includes a support table located aboveand out of contact with the respective weighing pan, the support tablebeing in operative association with the transporter such that thesupport table is maintained above the weighing pan as the weighing panis reversibly displaced.

[0013] Preferably, the apparatus includes a stop associated with eachlocation, the stop arranged to engage, in use, the respective emptycontainer when located beneath the grading conveyor, such as to hold theempty container beneath the grading conveyor as the transporter retractsthe weighing pan.

[0014] Preferably, the stop is further arranged to engage the respectiveloaded container once the loaded container has been transferred frombeneath the grading conveyor, such as to prevent the loaded containerfrom being drawn back beneath the grading conveyor as the transporterretracts the weighing pan.

[0015] Preferably, the apparatus is provided with a magazine inoperative association with each location, each magazine containing, inuse, a number of empty containers, the magazine being adapted to depositan empty container at the respective location as required.

[0016] Preferably, the apparatus includes a lateral conveyor which runsadjacent each location, onto which lateral conveyor the transporterdeposits the loaded containers, in order that the loaded containers maybe conveyed from the apparatus.

[0017] Preferably, the apparatus includes a storage compartment intowhich the lateral conveyor feeds the loaded containers.

[0018] Preferably, the storage compartment is removably secured to theapparatus.

[0019] Preferably, the apparatus is shaped and dimensioned to passbetween adjacent rows of mushroom beds in a mushroom house.

[0020] Preferably, once a predetermined number of empty containerswithin any of the magazines has been reached, a warning signal isgenerated to alert an operator that the respective magazine requiresrefilling.

[0021] Preferably, the apparatus includes a controller adapted to haltthe grading conveyor while any loaded container is being replaced withan empty container, and to restart the grading conveyor once saidreplacement has been effected.

[0022] Preferably, a warning signal is generated once a predeterminednumber of loaded containers have been deposited in the storagecompartment.

[0023] Preferably, the apparatus is mobile in order to permit theapparatus to be driven between the rows of mushroom beds.

[0024] Preferably, the apparatus includes sensors adapted to guide theapparatus, as the apparatus is driven, between the rows of mushroombeds.

[0025] As used herein, the term “grading conveyor” is intended to mean aconveyor for transporting items of a range of sizes, the conveyor beingadapted to deposit items at appropriate locations along the length ofthe conveyor, dependent on the size of those items, such a loadingconveyor generally taking the form of a pair of oppositely disposedendless belts, the spacing between the belts gradually increasing alongthe length thereof.

[0026] As used herein, the term “transporter” is intended to embrace anymechanical means capable of transferring a container from a firstposition to a second position and back again, the transporter preferablybeing in the form of a table on which the container is supported, thetable being capable of reciprocating linear translations which areeffected by conventional mechanical/hydraulic/pneumatic means.

[0027] As used herein, the term “magazine” is intended to mean acompartment attached to a machine, in which one or more items arestored, the compartment adapted to feed the items to the machine in asuitable fashion.

[0028] As used herein, the term “mushroom bed” is intended to meancompost bags, compost blocks, trays or shelves containing compost or thelike, or any other similar growing systems in which mushrooms are grown,the beds generally being arranged in elongate rows having correspondingpassages therebetween, which passages allow access to the beds for thepurpose of harvesting the mushroom.

[0029] The present invention will now be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which;

[0030]FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the device according tothe present invention;

[0031]FIG. 2 illustrates the apparatus of FIG. 1 having severalcomponents omitted for the purposes of clarity; and

[0032]FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of one of six weighing pansand associated components forming part of the apparatus of theinvention.

[0033] Referring now to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrateda mushroom packing apparatus, generally indicated as 10, for expeditingthe processing and packing of mushrooms 62. The apparatus 10 consistsmainly of a base 12 mounted on a plurality of wheels 60, therebyallowing the apparatus 10 to be manoeuvred through a mushroom house (notshown). The base 12, in FIG. 1 of the drawings, is shown in dottedoutline, and has been completely omitted from FIG. 2 for the purposes ofclarity. Located at a leading edge of the apparatus 10 is a loadingconveyor 18 consisting of a first arm 19 and a second arm 21 in parallelspaced relation. The mushrooms 62, once picked, are placed on theloading conveyor 18 such that the cap is supported by the first arm 19and the second arm 21, with the mushroom stalk suspended between thefirst arm 19 and the second arm 21. The loading conveyor 18 is capableof swivelling from side to side about a pair of pivot pulleys 23 inorder to be in close proximity to either mushroom bed (not shown)defining the row (not shown) along which the apparatus 10 is drawn. Thefirst and second arms 19, 21 are adapted to remain parallel to oneanother as the loading conveyer 18 is drawn through an arc about thepivot pulleys 23.

[0034] The mushrooms 62 proceed along the loading conveyor 18, extendingfrom and contiguous with the end of which is a first feed belt 14 and asecond feed belt 16, again in opposed spaced relation to one another.Both the first feed belt 14 and the second feed belt 16 are endlessbelts which, at adjacent respective faces thereof, are uni-directionalin motion. The mushrooms 62 are therefore supported by the first feedbelt 14 and the second feed belt 16 in a manner identical to that of theloading conveyor 18, and are drawn therealong in the direction ofmovement of the adjacent respective faces of the first feed belt 14 andthe second feed belt 16. After passing from the loading conveyor 18 tothe first and second feed belts 14, 16, the mushrooms 62 traverse a pairof rotary blades 20 located beneath the first and second feed belts 14,16. The rotary blades 20 remove the roots (not shown) from the mushrooms62, which are deposited in a root bin 22 located beneath the rotaryblades 20. It will nonetheless be appreciated that any other suitablemeans, mechanical or otherwise, for removing the roots and/or stalk (notshown) may be adopted in place of the rotary blades 20. The root bin 22is shown in dotted outline in FIG. 1, and has been completed omittedfrom FIG. 2 for the purposes of clarity.

[0035] The opposing respective lengths of the first feed belt 14 and thesecond feed belt 16 are positioned relative to one another such that thegap located therebetween increases in width along the direction oftravel of the first and second feed belts 14, 16. It will therefore beappreciated the once the gap between the first and second feed bets 14,16 increases beyond the diameter of the cap of a mushroom 62, themushroom 62 will drop between the first and second feed belts 14, 16. Itwill also be understood that the mushrooms 62 will vary in size from oneto the next, the orientation of the first and second feed belts 14, 16thereby causing mushrooms 62 of different size to pass between the firstand second feed belts 14, 16 at various positions corresponding to thesize of the mushrooms 62. The first and second feed belts 14, 16 aretherefore arranged to grade the mushrooms 62 and release them atpredetermined locations along the length thereof.

[0036] Located beneath the first and second feed belts 14, 16 are aplurality of weighing pans 24 each of which, in use, have a container,preferably such as a punnet 26 located thereon for receiving themushrooms 62 as they drop between the first and second feed belts 14,16. In both FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, only one of the weighing pans24 is shown with a punnet 26 located thereon. The first and second feedbelts 14, 16 are arranged such that at the first weighing pan 24, thespace therebetween has been set to match the cap diameter of thesmallest mushrooms 62 being picked, and at the last weighing pan 24 thelargest mushrooms 62 being picked. In the present embodiment of theinvention the apparatus 10 includes six weighing pans 24 and respectivepunnets 26, thereby separating the mushrooms 62 into six individual sizebrackets. It will however be appreciated that the apparatus 10 may beconfigured to include any number of weighing pans 24 and punnets 26, tosuit the size of the mushrooms 62 being picked and packaged. Theorientation of the first and second feed belts 14, 16 must be adapted tosuit the number of weighing pans 24 included in the apparatus 10, inaddition to the range of sizes of mushrooms 62 being picked. Theapparatus 10 is therefore provided with a control unit 58 incorporatinga visual display (not shown) and user interface (not shown) which allowsthe operator to monitor the various functions of the apparatus 10. Thecontrol unit 58 allows an operator to vary the space between the firstand second feed belts 14, 16 via the user interface (not shown).Alternatively, the necessary adjustment may be made manually to thefirst and second feed belts 14, 16.

[0037] The weighing pans 24 monitor the weight of each individual punnet26 as it is filled with mushrooms 62. Each weighing pan 24 has a loadcell (not shown) located therebeneath, on which the respective weighingpan 24 is seated, each load cell (not shown) being connected to thecontrol unit 58 in order to allow the control unit 58 to monitor theweight of each individual punnet 26. Once a predetermined weight hasbeen reached, the apparatus 10 is adapted to remove the respectivepunnet 26 and replace the filled punnet 26 with an empty punnet 26. Thepunnets 26 are preferably chosen such that, when full with mushrooms 62,they are market ready. The predetermined weight for each filled punned26 can be set via the user interface (not shown) of the control unit 58.

[0038] The apparatus 10 is provided with a plurality of magazines 44,the number of which corresponds to the number of weighing pans 24present, each magazine 44 capable of holding a plurality of emptypunnets 26. Each magazine 44 is also adapted to be capable of housingand dispensing punnets 26 of different sizes. In FIGS. 1 and 2 only asingle magazine 44 is shown, located adjacent the end weighing pan 24.Each magazine 44 is located adjacent a respective weighing pan 24. Inuse, each magazine 44 incorporates a pair of oppositely disposed feeders46, one of which has been removed in both FIGS. 1 and 2 for clarity. Thefeeders 46 are adapted to deposit a single punnet 26 from the respectivemagazine 44 as required, as is described hereinafter in detail. In use,once a first preset number of punnets 26 within each magazine 44 hasbeen reached, a warning light (not shown) is illuminated in order toalert an operator that the respective magazine 44 will shortly requirerefilling with empty punnets 26. A warning buzzer (not shown) will thensound if a lower preset limit of empty punnets 26 within the magazine 44is reached. The control unit 58 will halt the feed belts 14, 16 if thepunnets 26 within any magazine 44 run out. At this point a signal may betransmitted to a remote terminal (not shown), requesting a fresh supplyof empty punnets 26. The control unit 58 may further be adapted totransmit to the remote terminal (not shown) such information as thetotal number of punnets 26 filled by the apparatus 10; the weight ofeach punnet 26; the average weight of the punnets 26; the combinedweight of mushrooms 62 packed by the apparatus 10; an operatoridentification number or the like, etc.

[0039] In order to effect replacement of a full punnet 26, the apparatus10 includes a plurality of selectors 30, each weighing pan 24 having aselector 30 in operative association therewith. The selectors 30comprise a crossbar 31, a pair of lateral arms 33 extendingsubstantially vertically downward from the crossbar 31, each arm 33incorporating a stop 35 extending substantially perpendicularly from thefree end thereof. Each selector 30 is arranged and dimensioned such thatthe feed belts 14, 16 pass beneath the crossbar 31 and between the pairof lateral arms 33, thereby preventing the mushrooms 62 from fouling theselectors 30 as the mushrooms 62 traverse the feed belts 14, 16 and dropinto the punnets 26. In FIG. 3, it can be seen that the feed belts 14,16 have been omitted for the purposes of clarity. Each selector 30 ismounted to the apparatus 10 via a link 36, to a selector cam 32 drivenby a selector motor 34. The selector motor 34 is arranged to rotate theselector cam 32 in order to effect elevation of the selector 30 to theextent that the stops 35 are located distal the respective weighing pan24 a distance greater than the depth of the punnet 26, as shown in FIG.3, the application of which is hereinafter described.

[0040] The plurality of weighing pans 24 are mounted on a transporter 25which is substantially planar in form and is located adjacent to andco-planar with the lower face of each of the plurality of weighing pans24, the transporter 25 being capable of a reversible translation, byconventional mechanical/pneumatic/hydraulic means (not shown), acrossthe base 12 such that the weighing pans 24 extend outwardly over alateral conveyor 38. Therefore, in use, at the start-up of the apparatus10, prior to an operator feeding mushrooms 62 onto the loading conveyor18, the respective feeder 46 lowers an empty punnet 26 from eachmagazine 44 onto a support table 27 located directly beneath therespective magazine 44. Each support table 27 is secured to thetransporter 25 but is maintained above and out of contact with therespective weighing pan 24 located beneath said support table 27. Inboth FIGS. 1 and 2 only a single support table 27 is shown beneath thesingle magazine 44 shown, although it will be understood that eachweighing pan 24 has a support table 27 associated therewith. At thispoint each of the selectors 30 are in the raised position as shown inFIG. 3, and the transporter 25 is driven across the base 12, therebymoving each of the empty punnets 26 into position beneath the respectiveraised selector 30, and the feed belts 14, 16. Each of the selectors 30is then lowered, and the transporter 25 is then driven back across thebase 12. The plurality of support tables 27 therefore return with thetransporter 25, and as the empty punnets 26 are held between therespective pair of stops 35, the support tables 27 are drawn frombeneath the empty punnets 26, at which point the empty punnets 26 droponto the weighing pans 24. The control unit 58 then zeroes the readingshown for the weight of each of the weighing pans 24, such that, onmushrooms being deposited in the plurality of punnets 26, only theweight of the mushrooms 62 themselves will register, as opposed to thecombined weight of the mushrooms 62 and the respective punnet 26. Eachof the selectors 30 are then moved to the raised position, prior tooperation of the apparatus 10.

[0041] Each magazine 44 then deposits a further empty punnet 26 onto thesupport table 27 located therebeneath, at which point the apparatus isready for operation. As each support table 27 is located above and outof contact with the respective weighing pan 24, the empty punnet 26deposited thereon will not affect the reading for the weight shown onthe respective weighing pan 24. The loading conveyor 18 and the firstand second feed belts 14, 16 may therefore be activated by means of theuser interface (not shown), and mushrooms 62 are deposited onto theloading conveyor 18 to be deposited into the plurality of punnets 26located beneath the feed belts 14, 16, as hereinbefore described.

[0042] Therefore, during use, mushrooms 62 are continually fed to theapparatus 10, which are graded into the plurality of punnets 26 locatedon the weighing pans 24, the weight of mushrooms on each of the weighingpans 24 being carefully monitored by means of the respective load cell(not shown) and the control unit 58. Once the predetermined weight hadbeen reached in any of the punnets 26, the apparatus 10 effects removaland replacement of said full punnet 26. The loading conveyor 18 and thefeed belts 14, 16 are therefore halted momentarily, and the transporter25 is driven across the base 12, as hereinbefore described. This thusresults in each of the empty punnets 26 located on the plurality ofsupport tables 27 being transferred beneath the feed belts 14, 16, suchthat the feed belts 14, 16 can be reactivated to continue grading themushrooms 62 into said empty punnets 26 now in position beneath the feedbelts 14, 16. In addition, the plurality of punnets 26 located on theweighing pans 24 are now located above the lateral conveyor 38. At thisstage the selector 30 associated with the full punnet 26 to be removedis lowered about the empty punnet 26 on the respective support table 27,such that the pair of stops 35 are disposed on either side of said emptypunnet 26. Once the selector 30 has been lowered, the transporter 25 isdriven back across the base 12, during which translation the loadingconveyor 18 and the feed belts 14, 16 are again momentarily halted.

[0043] As all of the selectors 30, except the selector 30 associatedwith the full punnet 26 to be replaced, are still in the raisedposition, as the transport 25 returns across the base 12, the respectivepunnets 26 on the support tables 27 and on the weighing pans 24 will bedrawn back into their original positions beneath the magazines 44 andthe selectors 30 respectively. However, the punnet 26 located betweenthe stops 35 of the lowered selector 30 is maintained in position as thesupport table 27, drawn by the transporter 25, slides alongtherebeneath. Furthermore, as the transporter 25 and weighing pans 24return, the full punnet 26 to be replaced will engage the outer stop 35of the lowered selector 30, preventing the full punnet 26 from returningbeneath the feed belts 14, 16. The weighing pan 24 will therefore bedrawn from beneath the full punnet 26, causing the full punnet 26 todrop onto the lateral conveyor 38. In a similar fashion, the supporttable 27 will be drawn from beneath the empty punnet 26 held by thelowered selector 30, and as hereinbefore described, will therefore droponto the corresponding weighing pan 24. It will therefore be appreciatedthat one or more mushrooms 62 may have been deposited into the emptypunnet 26 prior to the empty punnet 26 being drawn from the supporttable 27 onto the weighing pan 24. However, as the control unit 58initially zeroed each weighing pan 24 such as to disregard the weight ofan empty punnet 26, once the aforementioned punnet 26 drops onto theweighing pan 24, said empty weight will be automatically subtracted sothat only the weight of the mushrooms 62, if any, located therein willbe registered by the weighing pan 24.

[0044] It will thus be appreciated that the full punnet 26 has beenreplaced with an empty punnet 26, the full punnet 26 now being locatedon the lateral conveyor 38. The support table 27 from which the emptypunnet 26 has been transferred therefore requires an empty punnet 26 tobe deposited thereon, in anticipation of the next replacement sequence.An empty punnet 26 is therefore deposited onto said support table 27from the respective magazine 44. The apparatus 10 thus continues tograde the mushrooms 62 until another punnet 26 reaches the predeterminedfilled weight, at which point said punnet 26 will be replaced ashereinbefore described.

[0045] As described, the full punnet 26 is therefore located on thelateral conveyor 38 and, depending on the location of the full punnet26, the control unit 58 advances the lateral conveyor 38 a predetermineddistance in order to bring the punnet 26 to the end of the lateralconveyor 38 and onto an end conveyor 52. Extending rearwardly from theend conveyor 52 is a storage compartment in the form of a storage rack54 divided into a plurality of rows 64. Once a punnet 26 is fed from thelateral conveyor 38 to the end conveyor 52, the control unit 58deactivates the lateral conveyor 38 and activates the end conveyor 52,such that the punnet 26 is transferred onto the storage rack 54.

[0046] Filled punnets 26 are continually transferred to the storage rack54 as hereinbefore described, and once a single row 64 has filled withpunnets 26, a slider 40, driven by a slider motor 42 which is operatedby the control unit 58, moves the incoming punnets 26 across the endconveyor 52 into register with an empty row 64. The slider motor 42 maybe mounted to the storage rack 54, or alternatively may be mounted tothe base 12 beneath the end conveyor 52. The end conveyor 52 is thenactivated by the control unit 58, the punnet 26 within the slider 40therefore being transferred into the empty row 64 of the storage rack54. This operation is continued until the entire storage rack 54contains filled punnets 26, or alternatively, until all of the mushrooms62 have been picked. Each of the punnets 26 is a predetermined weightand is ready to be transferred directly to market, thereby greatlyreducing the cost and time associated with post processing of pickedmushrooms.

[0047] In an alternative arrangement, the sequence of events may bevaried such that when a full punnet 26 reaches the end conveyor 52, theslider 40 transfers the punnet 26 to the opposed end thereof, but theend conveyor 52 is not activated. The next punnet 26 to reach the endconveyor 52 is then positioned, by means of the slider 40, adjacent theprevious punnet 26. This operation is continued until the entire lengthof the end conveyor 52 is filled with punnets 26. At this point the endconveyor 52 is activated in order to transfer the punnets 26 into therespective rows 64 of the storage rack 54.

[0048] In a further embodiment, the storage rack 54 may be arranged anddimensioned as a vertical rack (not shown) having one or more rows (notshown) extending substantially perpendicularly to the end conveyor 52.

[0049] As an optional component, the apparatus 10 may be provided with alabel printer (not shown) or the like which is in communication with thecontrol unit 58. The label printer (not shown) would preferably belocated at or adjacent the storage rack 54 and be arranged to locate alabel (not shown) on each filled punnet 26, which label (not shown) maycarry various information such as the weight of mushrooms 62 within thepunnet 26, the date and location of picking, etc. It will also beappreciated that, in an alternative rrangement, an individualtransporter (not shown) may e provided for each weighing pan 24, eachtransporter (not shown) capable of movement independent of the remainingtransporters (not shown). The transporter (not shown) may be in the formof a hydraulic/pneumatic ram (not shown) which is arranged, for example,to push the empty punnet 26 located on the support table 27 towards thefull punnet 26 on the corresponding weighing pan 24. The empty punnet 26will therefore push the full punnet 26 from beneath the feed belts 14,16 onto the lateral conveyor 38, to be replaced by the empty punnet 26.This particular arrangement would therefore permit omission of theplurality of selectors 30 and associated selector cams 32 and selectormotors 34. It will of course be immediately understood that any othersuitable means of replacing a full punnet 26 with an empty punnet 26could be substituted for the transporter 25 and selectors 30 of thepresent embodiment.

[0050] In a still further embodiment, the plurality of support tables 27may be omitted from the apparatus 10 such that punnets 26 are depositeddirectly from the magazines 44 onto the weighing pans 24. In such anembodiment, the reading from each weighing pan 24 for the weight thereonis zeroed after the start-up sequence as hereinbefore described, once apair of empty punnets 26 are located on each weighing pan 24. However,the loading conveyor 18 and the feed belts 14, 16 must be halted for theentire duration of the punnet 26 replacement sequence. This is becausethe weight recorded for each weighing pan 24 would otherwise continue torise as mushrooms 62 were deposited into the empty punnets 26 during theperiod when the empty punnets 26 were temporarily located beneath thefeed belts 14, 16. It will therefore be understood that the weighingpans 24 would register the combined weight of the mushrooms in eachpunnet 26 located thereon, prompting a punnet 26 to be replaced beforereaching the required predetermined weight. This particularconfiguration would therefore be less preferred than the embodimenthereinbefore described.

[0051] In a similar further mode of operation, an empty punnet 26 isonly deposited from the respective magazine 44 onto the weighing pan 24beside a full punnet 26 when said full punnet 26 is to be replaced. Eachof the selectors 30 are in the lowered position during operation of theapparatus 10, and when a full punnett 26 is to be replaced, the selector30 associated therewith is raised, and the transporter 25 driven acrossthe base 12. Each of the lowered selectors 30 therefore maintain therespective punnets 26 in place beneath the feed belts 14, 16, while thefull punnet 26 travels with the weighing pan 24 over the lateralconveyor 38. The raised selector 30 is then lowered ablout the emptypunnet 26 located on the weighing pan 24, and the transporter 25 drivenback across the base 12. As hereinbefore described, the full punnet 26wil therefore be deposited onto the lateral conveyor 38, thecorresponding empty punnet 26 being maintained beneath the feed belts14, 16 in place of the full punnet 26.

[0052] The apparatus 10 is also provided with a power source (notshown), preferably a battery mounted therein, to allow the apparatus 10to be driven by an operator between the rows of mushroom beds (notshown). As the mushroom beds (not shown) are conventionally quitenarrow, the apparatus 10 may be provided with an array of sensors (notshown), such as proximity detectors (not shown) or the like, which arein operative association with the control unit 58 and arranged toautomatically guide the apparatus 10 through the rows of mushroom beds(not shown) by steering the wheels 60 in response to information fedfrom the sensors (not shown).

[0053] Furthermore, as the passages (not shown) between the rows ofmushrooms beds (not shown) are quite narrow, the facility to remove thestorage compartment 54 permits the apparatus 10 to be turned around in arelatively confined space, thereby permitting the space within themushroom house (not shown) to be maximised for the growing of mushrooms62. Therefore, in use, when it is required to turn the apparatus 10, thestorage compartment 54 is removed, the apparatus 10 turned, and thestorage compartment 54 reconnected to permit the apparatus 10 to berestarted.

1) A mushroom packing apparatus comprising a grading conveyor; aplurality of locations distributed under a longitudinal axis of thegrading conveyor, each location being provided, in use, with a containerfor collecting the mushrooms as they are deposited from the gradingconveyor; characterised in that the apparatus is arranged to weigh therespective container at each location and to facilitate removal of theloaded container once the loaded container has reached a predeterminedweight. 2) An apparatus according to claim 1 in which each locationincludes a weighing pan on which, in use, the respective container isseated. 3) An apparatus according to claim 1 in which the apparatusreplaces each loaded container with an empty container once therespective loaded container has reached a predetermined weight. 4) Anapparatus according to claim 3 in which each location comprises atransporter in operative association, in use, with the respectivecontainer, the transporter being arranged to transfer the container,when loaded, from beneath the grading conveyor and to locate an emptycontainer beneath the grading conveyor. 5) An apparatus according to anyof claims 2 to 4 in which each weighing pan is shaped and dimensioned tosupport an empty container adjacent the, in use, container being loaded,the transporter operable to reversibly displace the weighing pan suchthat the loaded container is transferred from beneath the gradingconveyor, while the empty container is simultaneously transferredbeneath the grading conveyor. 6) An apparatus according to claim 5wherein each location includes a support table located above and out ofcontact with the respective weighing pan, the support table being inoperative association with the transporter such that the support tableis maintained above the weighing pan as the weighing pan is reversiblydisplaced. 7) An apparatus according to claim 5 or 6 wherein theapparatus includes a stop associated with each location, the stoparranged to engage, in use, the respective empty container when locatedbeneath the grading conveyor, such as to hold the empty containerbeneath the grading conveyor as the transporter retracts the weighingpan. 8) An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the stop is furtherarranged to engage the respective loaded container once the loadedcontainer has been transferred from beneath the grading conveyor, suchas to prevent the loaded container from being drawn back beneath thegrading conveyor as the transporter retracts the weighing pan. 9) Anapparatus according to any preceding claim in which the apparatus isprovided with a magazine in operative association with each location,each magazine containing, in use, a number of empty containers, themagazine being adapted to deposit an empty container at the respectivelocation as required. 10) An apparatus according to any preceding claimprovided with a lateral conveyor which runs adjacent each location, ontowhich lateral conveyor the transporter deposits the loaded containers,in order that the loaded containers may be conveyed from the apparatus.11) An apparatus according to claim 10 in which the apparatus includes astorage compartment into which the lateral conveyor feeds the loadedcontainers. 12) An apparatus according to claim 11 in which the storagecompartment is removably secured to the apparatus in order to facilitatethe removal of the storage compartment once full. 13) An apparatusaccording to any preceding claim which is shaped and dimensioned to passbetween adjacent rows of mushroom beds in a mushroom house. 14) Anapparatus according to any of claims 8 to 13 in which, once apredetermined number of empty containers within any of the magazines hasbeen reached, a warning signal is generated to alert an operator thatthe respective magazine requires refilling. 15) An apparatus accordingto any of claims 3 to 14 which includes a controller adapted to halt thegrading conveyor while any loaded container is being replaced with anempty container, and to restart the grading conveyor once saidreplacement has been effected. 16) An apparatus according to any ofclaims 10 to 15 in which a warning signal is generated once apredetermined number of loaded containers have been deposited in thestorage compartment. 17) An apparatus according to any of claims 12 to16 in which the apparatus is mobile in order to permit the apparatus tobe driven between the rows of mushroom beds. 18) An apparatus accordingto claim 17 which includes sensors adapted to guide the apparatus, asthe apparatus is driven, between the rows of mushroom beds.